League-leading Eagles send five to All-Star Game

Jan. 14, 2014

Updated 1:22 p.m.

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Santa Margarita's Brian Desmond celebrates after scoring a goal earleir this season. The senior forward was selected to the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League All-Star Game. Desmond is the league's leading scorer. MIKE GREENE, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Santa Margarita senior defenseman Jake Rosenbaum, pictured fighting for a puck in a game earlier this season, was selected to the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League All-Star Game. Rosenbaum has assisted on six goals for the first-place Eagles. PHOTO BY KATHERINE SCHELLIN, COURTESY OF SANTA MARGARITA HOCKEY.

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Santa Margarita senior defenseman Bradley Budman, pictured in a game earlier this season, was selected to the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League All-Star Game. Budman has scored four goals and assisted on five more for the first-place Eagles. PHOTO BY KATHERINE SCHELLIN, COURTESY OF SANTA MARGARITA HOCKEY.

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Santa Margarita sophomore forward Eetu Selanne, pictured in a game earlier this season, was selected to the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League All-Star Game. Selanne has scored four goals for the first-place Eagles. PHOTO BY KATHERINE SCHELLIN, COURTESY OF SANTA MARGARITA HOCKEY.

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Santa Margarita junior forward Eemil Selanne, pictured in a game earlier this season, was selected to the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League All-Star Game. Selanne has scored four goals for the first-place Eagles. PHOTO BY KATHERINE SCHELLIN, COURTESY OF SANTA MARGARITA HOCKEY.

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Santa Margarita's Brian Desmond, left, attempts to score in a game earlier this season. The senior forward was selected to the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League All-Star Game. Desmond is the league's leading scorer. MIKE GREENE, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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Santa Margarita senior defenseman Jake Rosenbaum, pictured in a game earlier this season, was selected to the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League All-Star Game. Rosenbaum has assisted on six goals for the first-place Eagles. PHOTO BY KATHERINE SCHELLIN, COURTESY OF SANTA MARGARITA HOCKEY.

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Santa Margarita senior defenseman Bradley Budman, pictured in a game earlier this season, was selected to the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League All-Star Game. Budman has scored four goals and assisted on five more for the first-place Eagles. PHOTO BY KATHERINE SCHELLIN, COURTESY OF SANTA MARGARITA HOCKEY.

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Santa Margarita senior defenseman Jake Rosenbaum, pictured in a game earlier this season, was selected to the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League All-Star Game. Rosenbaum has assisted on six goals for the first-place Eagles. PHOTO BY KATHERINE SCHELLIN, COURTESY OF SANTA MARGARITA HOCKEY.

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Santa Margarita sophomore forward Eetu Selanne, pictured in a game earlier this season, was selected to the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League All-Star Game. Selanne has scored four goals for the first-place Eagles. PHOTO BY KATHERINE SCHELLIN, COURTESY OF SANTA MARGARITA HOCKEY.

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Santa Margarita junior forward Eemil Selanne, pictured in a game earlier this season, was selected to the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League All-Star Game. Selanne has scored four goals for the first-place Eagles. PHOTO BY KATHERINE SCHELLIN, COURTESY OF SANTA MARGARITA HOCKEY.

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Santa Margarita senior defenseman Bradley Budman, pictured checking an opponent in a game earlier this season, was selected to the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League All-Star Game. Budman has scored four goals and assisted on five more for the first-place Eagles. PHOTO BY KATHERINE SCHELLIN, COURTESY OF SANTA MARGARITA HOCKEY.

Santa Margarita's Brian Desmond celebrates after scoring a goal earleir this season. The senior forward was selected to the Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League All-Star Game. Desmond is the league's leading scorer.MIKE GREENE, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

3rd Annual Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League All-Star Game

Even during a season that has seen some inconsistent team play, five Santa Margarita players have been selected for this month’s 3rd Annual Anaheim Ducks High School Hockey League All-Star Game.

The All-Star Game will be held at the Honda Center on Wednesday, January 22. A junior varsity All-Star Game starts at 5:30 p.m. with the varsity game slated to begin at 7:30. There will also be a college fair for all ADHSHL players beforehand at 4 p.m.

The five Eagles are split between the two varsity all-star teams. Forward Eetu Selanne and defenseman Bradley Budman will be on the Orange Team, while forwards Brian Desmond, Eemil Selanne and defenseman Jake Rosenbaum will represent the Black Team.

Desmond, the Eagles’ captain, has been the league’s most productive player this season, racking up a league-high 28 points. He leads the league with 16 goals and is second in assists with 12.

“What makes him special is he’s a leader on the ice and off the ice,” Santa Margarita coach Craig Johnson said. “With the talent he has and his work ethic, he’s able to produce goals for us.”

Also adding to the offense that has scored 48 goals this season, both Selanne brothers are among the league’s top 20 goal scorers, tallying four apiece.

Budman and Rosenbaum, Johnson said, are the leaders and role models for the rest of the defensemen.

“They’re definitely the pillars of our defense,” Johnson said.

Rosenbaum, a senior, has assisted on six goals as well as helping anchor the defense.

“Rosenbaum has been with us for a long time …it’s great to see the strides he’s made as a hockey player,” Johnson said.

Budman also knows how to join in the offense from his blue-line position, netting four goals and five assists so far this year.

“He’s strong, he’s physical and he’s really able to jump into the play on offense,” Johnson said.

More than midway through the season, Santa Margarita sits atop the standings in the Varsity 1A Division. The Eagles are 8-1-0-2 on the season, losing once in regulation and twice in overtime. With 25 points, Santa Margarita is four points clear of second-place Orange Lutheran (21 points, 7-2-0-1) and eight points ahead of third-place JSerra (17 points, 6-4-0-0).

While Santa Margarita is still in control of the division, the three losses are the first blemishes on the Eagles’ regular-season record in more than two years as the Eagles went through the past two regular seasons undefeated.

“We’ve been good at times and bad at times; we’ve been a little inconsistent,” Johnson said.

Johnson said he hopes the team can rediscover the work ethic that helped them win league, state and national titles last season.

“Hopefully we’re going to peak at the right time,” Johnson said.

Santa Margarita also fields a junior varsity team and six players from that squad were picked for the Junior Varsity All-Star Game.

The six Eagles are split evenly, with Cavin McClare, Matt Akins and Jack Hardwick on the Orange Team and Travis Gebauer, Jett Shibata and Thomas Hoey on the Black Team.

The junior varsity Eagles are also atop their divisional standings, but only by one point. With eight wins and a tie from nine games, Santa Margarita sits at 17 points, just ahead of Bishop Amat (16 points, 8-2-0) and Corona-Norco (14 points, 7-3-0).

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